Recap: Miri scared the gypsies away. The children hear the sound of the hoofbeats of soldiers approaching the area they just left.
Sabrina whispered in my ear. “Thank you, you saved us twice, Miri. First the gypsies and now the soldiers. They are almost up to our camp area.”
Liselle Rosa was carrying her brother, who was still fast asleep. I was so thankful for that. We didn’t want any noise to give away our whereabouts.
We moved farther into the thick of the forest, and we could hear the hoofbeats stop. They must be searching the area we had just left.
My heart slammed against my chest. I thanked Hashem over and over that we had left that spot.
My throat was so dry. I took a sip of water from our water jug. My throat burned as the liquid ran down my throat.
We heard someone yell, “I think there’s a group of children nearby.”
“Diego, you always think that. I say we head to the inn for some rest and food.”
“I smell them. I’m a tracker, I tell you. They’re nearby.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and davened with all my heart. Please, Hashem, protect us!
“Enough already. I’m with Henrich. Let’s go to the inn. It’s five kilometers north. My stomach needs some of that food right now, and a good ale would set me in a good mood.”
There was grumbling and more discussion.
Then we heard the hoofbeats retreating.
Thank you, Hashem! I let out a breath.
Suddenly, I heard a branch crack nearby. I motioned frantically to Sabrina. Liselle had let go of Dovid.
It all happened so fast. One minute we were all crouched behind the bushes hiding, and the next minute a man was standing in front of us, sneering, holding a screaming Dovid by the leg.
“Now, who might you be?” he asked, smacking his lips like he’d found a tasty dish to eat.
My heart thudded against my chest. “Let him go!” I shouted.
“Let him go,” he imitated me in a nasty, high-pitched voice.
“I’ll not let him go because I want the reward.”
Liselle Rosa sobbed and screamed.
Katie was shaking and trying to calm Liselle Rosa.
“I can give you a better reward!” I heard myself say. Where had I gotten the courage to say that?
Sabrina looked at me questioningly. “I have something worth a king’s ransom, but I won’t give it to you until you let the boy go.”
“Why should I believe you? You’re bluffing. You’re a bunch of gypsy Jew ragamuffins.”
“Fine, don’t believe me. It’s worth a whole lot more money than any of those officers will give you.”
“You’re lying!” He kept moving away.
I heard hoofbeats in the distance. Those others were coming back. I had to get Dovid away from this monster and get us all hidden before those others returned.
Dovid’s screams had become hoarse, frantic sobs. Liselle Rosa was crying hysterically. They’d hear us for sure.
Hashem, please give me the right words.
“It’s worth a king’s ransom. It’s pure gold,” I said.
“Pure gold? And where is that pure gold, Gypsy?” he sneered.
I’d never been called a gypsy, but I glanced down at my torn skirt and dirty shirt. I supposed I did look like a gypsy.
“In my pocket, sir. If you come closer, I can show it to you.”
There was a full minute when he stood still.
He stepped towards me, still gripping poor Dovid around the chest. “Show it to me.”
I slid my hand into my pocket. “I’ll show it to you if you release Dovid.”
“I won’t release him till you hand it to me.”
Sabrina stepped between us. “She’s good at her word, Mister. You release Dovid and she’ll give you the object.”
“Nothing doing,” he spat. “I don’t trust no gypsy.”
“Okay, you put out your hand, and as she holds it out towards you, you release him. We’re not able to outrun your horse, and you know it.”
“Pedro!”
Suddenly, we heard the sound of the returning men. They were almost here.
Pedro released Dovid, and I pulled out the watch Mr. Norman had given me what seemed like such a very long time ago, and I threw it towards him. He picked it up with a leer in his eye, and he bit into the watch band.
“A timepiece on a gold band. Never saw any like this. Where is it from?”
“From a long ways from here,” I said.
Sabrina signaled us to follow her deeper into the woods, and Pedro stuffed the watch into his pocket and ran off.
We heard hoofbeats drawing closer.
We ducked behind a huge grove of olive trees. Sabrina motioned us all to stay still and quiet. Dovid had cried himself to sleep.
While we sat hunched under the trees, I felt a chill go through me. I shivered. Then I felt hot. My head pounded.
“Heyo! Where’s Pedro?”
“What’s that you got?”
“Sm’ine, you leave off it!”
There was a lot of yelling and scuffling. The men were fighting with Pedro. Everyone was fighting for the watch that glistened in the moonlight.
A loud bugle sounded, and a man on a stallion appeared, followed by a whole troop of men. “Stop at once!” the man on the stallion called to the fighting men.
“Take these ruffians away to the dungeon.” Men grabbed the fighting men and threw them into a carriage, and the whole troop galloped away.
We waited until the hoofbeats had faded into the distance.
“Hashem was watching out for us,” Sabrina said.
Katie ran over to the spot where they were fighting. “Miri, look.” She held up a gold object.
The watch’s face was cracked in the scuffle, and part of the bracelet band had torn off. She brought it over to me.
How amazing that the watch from Mr. Norman had been part of our salvation. What message was Hashem sending me?
Sabrina motioned us to follow her onwards. I rose, and the whole world spun.
To be continued…
Susie Garber is the author of 11 popular Jewish books, including her newly released historical fiction novel The Blizzard (Menucha 2026) and recently published novel Captured (Menucha 2025). She is also the current news editor of Binyan Magazine.